Man About Town

Ladies and gentlemen, America's leading nerdy love man is back! established himself as a modern master of '60s- and '70s-style R&B on his first two albums, 2009's and 2011's . If 2013's was a bit less exciting than his breakout works, 2016's shows 's got most of his old mojo back. As on , has folded some '70s soft rock into his formula ("Fancy Clothes" and "The Valley" could pass for in dim light). But the ingredients are better integrated here, and has a welcome sense of glamour and groove throughout. "Cosmic Love" and "Breakfast in Bed" are memorable slow jams suitable for your next make-out mix. "Lingerie and Candlewax" is highly recommended if you want to move that party to the next level, and "Get You Back" is a glorious brokenhearted plea to the one who got away. As always, impresses as a vocalist and as a songwriter, evoking the sound and style of the past while giving the music a sleek, up-to-date mindset. While he handles most of the production and instrumental chores himself, when he does bring in collaborators they give the tracks an emphatic and very human swing. Like raw silk, is smooth but it has texture, and that makes it feel all the more satisfying. is a bit too far along in his career to surprise us with his work, and doesn't boast much in the way of radical steps forward. But it confirms the man is still very good at what he does. From front to back, is a real pleasure, and it's pretty hard to get too much of that. ~ Mark Deming